Archive for August, 2007

Anna Kournikova, asked if she’d consider doing a reality show like fellow tennis star Mark Philippoussis’ “Age of Love”: “No, I wouldn’t be interested in doing it, and, yes, I have been approached a lot of times. I think, for a guy, it’s OK to be kissing 10 girls at the same time, but I don’t think it’s good for a girl, is it?” freep.com

Apparently, Nadal is hitting up this doctor and his laser treatments three times a day:

Somewhere in a Manhattan hotel room, there is an Italian doctor, Pier Francesco Parra, who is called “the Magician” by many of the world’s top athletes. He’s here for the duration of the U.S. Open, and he has brought his special machine — the one with five lasers — that speeds up the healing of strained muscles and tendons.

The great Italian skier Alberto Tomba credited his longevity, in part, to Parra. And nearly every Italian tennis player with a world ranking claims to be in his debt, too.Washington Post

I’ve not heard of these laser treatments, but given my knee problems, maybe I should fly to New York to check this stuff out.

While playing yesterday, she did show her temper was pretty much the same as usual though. While no fans had a ball hit right at them, she did smash up a racket:

After losing five match points in her match against Flavia Pennetta, who forced a tiebreaker, the 18-year-old from Prague smashed her racket against her chair. The chair stayed upright while her frame bent all the way to a 90-degree angle.

“I had (five) match points and I didn’t make one of them, so I think that deserved it,” said Vaidisova, the No. 13 seed.

Vaidisova said she has broken countless rackets, but not as many as a notoriously emotional former Open champion: “I’m an angel compared to Marat (Safin).” The Journal News

Comparing yourself to Safin doesn’t seem like a winning strategy… I sure do miss seeing him in the late stages of tournaments though.

But even Sharapova had no illusions that she had served as well as the automatic serve timer said she did. At one point in her match, on a second serve, it flashed 129 miles, or 206 kilometers, an hour. That would tie a Grand Slam record set by Venus Williams, well known for her powerful serves.

“It was definitely a mistake because one, I’ve never hit 129 in my life, let alone a second serve,” Sharapova said. “Two, it definitely didn’t feel like a 129. So it was definitely wishful thinking.” IHT

The instant-replay system can be helpful, but yesterday Nicole Vaidisova had to challenge the challenge. Her serve was challenged by Alla Kudryavtseva, and the animation showed it hit part of the line, but the screen also had the word “out” next to the graphic.

“Excuse me,” Vaidisova said as she approached the chair, “how can that be out?”

The chair umpire remedied the error and got on the phone with the replay official. The No. 13 seed won the match 6-1, 6-2.

Playing on a taped-up knee so painful he almost pulled out of the U.S. Open, Rafael Nadal was hardly at his imposing best Wednesday.

It was a struggle to sprint, and he scuffled against a foe who never has won a Grand Slam match, let alone a title. On a day when his rival, No. 1 Roger Federer, won easily, three-time French Open winner Nadal hardly looked ready to flourish at Flushing Meadows, where his career mark is worse than at any other major.

To improve on that, Nadal will need to recover quickly and perform better than he did before eventually earning a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 first-round victory over Australian wild-card entry Alun Jones, whose claim to fame is a bit part in the film “Wimbledon.”